Gas-producer.



1%. 888,780. PATENTED M-AY 26, 1908.

8. BGWEZ, 08.

INVENTOR. MZ

WITNESSE No, 888,780 PATENKTED MAY 26, 1908.

J. BOWBY, JR.

GAS PRODUCER; AP PLIOATIQN IfILjED JUNE 20,-1907.

4 sums-saint '2.

NVENTOR/I I 7 A TTORNE x8.

" guide rods I JOHN BOWEY, JR, OF LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA GAS-PRODUCER Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed June 20, 1907. Serial No. 379,967.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN Bower, J r., of the city of London, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Gas-Producers, of which the f0 owing is a specification.

My object is to devise a gas producer which will be as nearly automatic in its action as possible particularly in its feeding, its stirring and the elimination of ashes, thus tending to produce a richer and more uniform gas, with a decrease in the cost of opera: tion. The stirrers are given a rotary movement in the fuel, and simultaneously therewith a vertical reciprocating movement to alternately )roject them into the heated zone in'the uel and withdraw them to cool. As the stirrers are withdrawna fresh charge of fuel isautomatically fed to the producer, and before the stirrers commence their downward movement a fresh charge is auto matically admitted to the feeder. The ashes are eliminated through an automatically rocked grate into a movable receptacle forming a water seal for the grate and producer.

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation, partly broken awa of my improved producer. Fig. 2 is a an view of the producer. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the feeding apparatus. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same partly in section. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the producer showing the grate. ig. 6 is an elevation partly in section of the lower part of the producer showing the grate. Fig. 7 is a detail of the worm gearing between the grate driving shaft and its driving shaft.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different figures.

1 is the generator of the producer, of which 2 is the gas exit pipe. The producer is provided with an automatic feed, automatic stirring means, and automatic ash ejecting means, the various mechanisms being simultaneously driven and synchronized.

As the operation of the feed is controlled from the stirring mechanism I will first describe this latter. On the top of the producer. are secured a plurality of vertical On these guide rods slides a frame 4. In this frame are journaled spindles 5, on the lowerend of each of which is secured an arm 6. Each of these'arms is loosely pivoted to the upper end of one of the poker-shaped stirrers 7. These stirrers extend down into the generator through the balls 8 in which they are slidable. These balls are set in the sockets 9, in which they are free to rock in any direction. It is evident that by rotating the-s indles5 the stirrers may be rotated in c osed curves inside thegenerator. Also, as the frame 4 is vertically movable, the stirrers may be alternately projected downward into the heated zone of fuel and withdrawn therefrom to cool.

The arms are rotated and the frame reciprocated by the mechanism I. will now describe.

Secured to the upper end of each spindle 5 is a gear wheel 10. These gear wheels mesh with the gear wheel 11, (Fig. 2), which is centrally threaded to work on the. vertical threaded shaft 12 secured to the top of the generator. With this gear wheel 11 meshes a pinion 13 sliding by means of a feather key and key-way on the shaft 14 passing slid; ably through a bearing on the frame A and journaled in the frame 15 connecting the upper ends of the guide rods 3. By rotating this shaft it is evident that the gear wheels 10 and 11 will be rotated and a rotary movement thus imparted to the stirrers, and a reciprocating movement also through the medium of the reciprocation of the frame 4 due to the screwing up and down on the shaft 12"0fthe gear wheel 11. reciprocation itis necessary to rotate the shaft 14 alternately in opposite directions. For this purpose I provide the driving shaft 16 journaled upon the top of the generator, and provided with the usual driving pulley 16. This shaft carries a sleeve 17 (Fig.1) to which is secured the bevel pim'ons 18 and 19. The sleeve will of course be longitudinally movable on the driving shaft with a feather key and key-way in-the ordinary manner well known in connection with-such reversing gear.

:rod is pivoted on one arm of the bell-crank lever 24, fulcrumed on a-suitable partof the To give this By shifting the sleeve on the driv-- ing shaft either pinion may be brought into frame of the ap aratus. The other arm of this bel lcrank ever is pivotally connected to the lower end of the shifter rod 25, the uper end of which is s-lidable through the ame 15. Two trip arms 26 are secured to the shifter rod, one above and one below the frame 4.. From this construction it follows that when the frame 4 contacts with the upper trip arm 26 the shifter rod is operated to move the valve22 to cause thecylinder to reverse the position of the bevel pinions 18 and 19, thus causing a reversal of the movement of the frame 4. A similar shift is made when ,the frame 4 contacts with the lower trip arm 26, and thus the stirrers are rotated and reciprocated constantly as long as power is applied to the driving shaft 16. This reciprocation of the stirrers is'very important as it enables me to dispense with water cooling, and also, owing to the varying paths followed by the ends of the stirrer rods in the fuel, the latter is more thoroughly agitated.

The feeding device comprises a feed tube or hopper27' provided with closures 28 and 29. The u per closure 28 is'formed as a slide movab le transversely of the hopper in guides 30. The lower closureis formed as a friction between it and the arm 39.

swinging gate 29 hinged at one side of the lower end of the feed hopper. This gate'is normally held closed by a counter-balancing weight'31 fast on the arm 32, secured to one end of the spindle 33, journaled in the feed ho per. (8% Figs. 3 and 4.)

ithin the hopper an arm '34 is secured to the spindle and is pivotally connectedto one end of the connecting rod 35, the lower end of which is pivota-lly connected with the up- .per side of the gate.

The slide 28 is normally held closed b means of the counter-balancing weight 36, secured to an arm 37, which is secured on one end of the spindle -38, journaled in bearings carried on the ends of the guides 30. An arm 39 secured to the spindle 38 extends down through a clevis 40 on the end of the slide 28. This clevis is preferably provided with a friction roller at each end to ease An op.- erating arm 41 is also secured to the spindle 38. An operating arm 42 is secured to the spindle 33.. The operating arm 42 isin the path of the trip arm 43, which is secured to and forms part of the frame 4. The operating arm 41 is adapted to be engaged by the bent end of the shifter rod 44, which is slidable in the frame '15 and carries a finger 45, which projects into the path of a trip-arm 46, secured to or forming part of the frame 4.

From this construction it follows that when the frame 4 reaches nearly its highest predetermined'position the trip arm 46 will engage the counter-balancing weight 36 moves the slide to close it and cut off the lo wcr portionof the hopperfrom the upper.

When the frame 4 reaches-the lower predetermined limit of its movement the operating-arm 42 is engaged by the trip arm 43 and the gate 29 opened to feed the charge of fuel between the gate and the slide into the generator. This feed, it will be seen, takes place at the moment the stirrers are about to begin their u ward movement of with drawal from the el, as this is the time at which the stirring is not so necessary as it is after the fresh charge has, become heated to incandescence and ash begins to form.

The ash ejecting mechanism is operated simultaneously with the operation of the stirring and feed mechanisms, but .is 'provided with means whereby the rate of ejection can be varied as desired. The ejecting means I preferably employ are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A series of grate bars 47 are suitably journaled in the frame 48 of-the grate, and each one is provided at its end outside this frame with an arm 49. The arms are all pivotally connected to a rock bar 50. A

connecting rod 51 is pivotally connected to this rock bar and to a crank disk 52, secured to the shaft 53 suitably journaled outside the generator. The connection between the connecting rod and the crank disk is prefer is in motion, and as the rate of ejection of the ashes depends on the extent of the rocking movement of the bars, and as the extent of this movement may be adjusted by adjusting the wrist, pin 54, it will be seen that the rate of ejection of the ashes may be easily varied independent of the, rate of movement of the main driving shaft.

The grate is sealed bymeans of a receptacle 59, which is laterally movable from beneath the generator preferably by being provided with wheels 60 running on the track 61 which extends from beneath the generator to any desired point outside. 7 tacle is filled with water to form the Water seal, and alsdgserves to receive the ejected In order that it may pass the frame ashes. 48 it is necessary to provide means for re This recepducing the height of one'end. For this purpose one end is divided and the upper part 62 hinged upon the lower part. Thus this end may be swung down to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig.1 6-when it is desired to remove the receptacle from beneath the generator. A water pipe 63 is preferably pro- 'vided extending toa point over the normal position of the receptacle, and through which the latter may be supplied with water if necessary.

64 is a blast pipe through which the air supply is forced into the generator. 'In the gas exit pipe 2 I show a belt driven fan 65 which may be used to induce a slight suction in the gas exit pipe.

From the above description it will be, seen i that I have devised a gas producer in which the operation of introducing fuel, stirring the fuel, and ejecting the ashes are all automatically performed, and in which the rate ing it from the fuel; and means for timing the fuel feeding means to deliver fuel before the commencement of the downward movement of the stirrer.

2. In a gas producer the combination of an automatically operated stirrer; automatic fuel feeding means; means for automatically moving the stirrer down into and withdrawing it from the fuel; and means for timing the fuel feeding means to deliver fuel substantially at the beginning of the upward movement of the stirrer.

3. In a gas producer thecombination of a poker shaped stirrer; a rocking bearing for the poker .mounted on the roducer and through which the poker is slidable; automatic means for swinging the poker in the fuel; means for automatically moving the poker down into and withdrawing it from the fuel; automatic fuel feeding means; and

means for timing the fuel feeding means to deliver fuel before t' e commencement of the downward movement of the stirrer.

4. In a gas producer the combination of a poker-shaped stirrer; a bearing for the poker .mounted with a ball and socket joint on the producer and through which the poker is slidable; automatic means for swinging the poker in a closed curve in the fuel; means for automatically moving the poker down into and withdrawing it from the fuel; automatic fuel feeding means; and means for timing the fuel feeding means to deliver fuel before the commencement of the downward movement of the stirrer. 4

5. In a gas producer the combination of a poker-shaped stirrer; a bearing for the poker mounted with a ball and socket joint on the producer and through which the poker is slidable; automatic means for sw nging the poker in a closed curve in the fuel; means for automatically moving the poker down into and withdrawing it from the fuel.

6. In a gas producer the comblnation of a poker-shaped stirrer; a bearing for the oker mounted on the roducer with a bal and socket joint and t rough which the oker is slidable; guides carried by the pro ucer; a frame movable on the guides toand from the producer; a spindle journaled in the frame an arm on the s indle to which the upper end of the poker is oosely secured; means for rotatingthe spindle and for simultaneously.

automatically reciprocating the frame on the guides.

7. In a gas producer the combination ofa I.

poker-shaped stirrer; a bearing for the oker mounted on the producer with a bal and 7 socket joint and through which the oker 1s slidable; guides carried by the pro ucer; a

frame movable on the guides to and from the f producer; a spindle journaled in theframe; an arm on the spindle towhich the upper end of the poker is loosely secured; a threaded shaft parallel to the guides and secured to the producer; a gear wheel journaled on the frame and threaded to screw on said shaft; a gear Wheel on said spindle; and means for simultaneously rotating said gear wheels.

8. In a gas producer the combination of a poker-shaped stirrer; a bearing for the oker mounted on the producer with a bal and socket joint and through which the oker is slidable; guides carried by the prod ucer; a

frame movable on the guides to and from the producer; a spindle journaled in the frame;

an arm on the spindle to which the upper end of the poker is loosely secured; a threaded shaft parallel to the guides and secured to the roducer; a gear wheel j ournaled. on the rame and threaded to screw on said shaft; a gear wheel on said spindle meshing with the aforesaid gear wheel a shaft ournaled on the producer and slidable through a bearing on the frame; a pinionmeshing with one of the aforesaid gear wheels and slidable with a feather key an d key-way on the last mentioned shaft. 7

9. In a gas producer the combination of a poker-shaped stirrer; a bearing for the oker -mounted on the roducer with a ha and socket joint and t rou h which the oker is slidable; guides carrier by the profuc er; a frame movable on the guides to and from the producer; a spindle j ournaled in the frame; an arm on the spindle to which the upper end of the poker is loosely secured; a threaded shaft parallel to the guides and secured to' the producer; a gear wheel journaled on the frame and threaded to screw on said shaft; a gear wheel on said spindle meshing with the aforesaid gear wheel; a shaft journaled Ton reducer slidable through a beariihe frame; a pinion meshing with one aforesaid gear wheels and slidable a-feather key and key-way on the last Tet-l e mentionedshaft; a reversible drive for said shaft, means whereby the frame at prean" rmined-limits of its movement in .either direction changes the direction of the drive. i 10. Ina gas producer the combination'of a poker-shaped stirrer; a bearing for the oker mounted on the roducer with a bal and socket joint and t rou h which the oker. is slidable; guides carrie by the pro ucer; a frame movable on the guides to and from the producer; a spindle journaled in the frame;

an arm-on the spindle to which the upper fend of the poker is loosely secured; a threaded shaft parallel to the uides and secured to the producer; a ear w eel j'ournaled on the frame and threa ed toscrew on said shaft; a gear wheel on said spindle; means for simultaneously rotating said gear wheels; and means whereby the frame at predetermined limits of its movement in either direction changes the direction of the drive. 11;; In a gas producerthe combination of a feed hopper; a movable closure for its lower a movable closure above its lower end; anlautomatically reciprocated part; means whereby said reciprocating part controls the opleflning and closing of the lower closure w closes the upper closure while the lower is closed.

12. In a gas producer the combination of a feed hopper; a movable closure for its lower end; a movable closure above its lower end; an automatically reciprocated part; a stirrer reciiprocated by said part; means whereby sai and closing of t e lower closure while the upper is closed, and o ens and closes the upper closure while the ower is closed.

--13. Ina gas producer the combination of a e; the upper is closed, and opens and reciprocating part controls the opening saavsc reciprocating part controls the opening and closing of the ower closure while the upper is closed; and opens and closes the upperclosure while the lower is closed.

' 15. In a gas producer the combination of a grate carried by the producer and a removable tank independent of the ate forming a water seal for the grate an? a receptacle for ashes.

16. In a gas producer the combination of a grate; a tank laterally removable and forming a water seal for the grate and a receptacle for ashes, and having one end adapted to be reduced in height to permit of the receptacle being drawn away from the grate.

17. In a gas producer the combination of a grate; a tank laterally removable and forming a' water seal for the grate and'a receptacle for ashes, and having one end divided horizontally, the u per part being hinged on the lower so that the end may be reduced in height to permit of the receptacle being drawn away from the grate.

18. In a gas producer the combination of normally inoperative feed mechanism; ash eliminating mechanism; stirring mechanism; means for simultaneously 0 crating the stirring and ash eliminating mec anisni; means whereby the stirring mechanism at predetermined times causes the operation of the feeding mechanism.

19. In a gas producer the combination of feed mechanism; ash eliminating mechanism; stirring mechanism; means for simultaneously operating the stirring and ash eliminating mechanism; means whereby the stirring mechanism at predetermined times causes the operation of the feeding mechan ism; and means for varying the rate of action of the ash ejecting mechanism.

20. In a gas producer the combination of feed mechanism; ash eliminating mechanla feed hop er; a ate closure hinged at its lower en ;,a sli e closure adapted to close thehofiper above its lower end; an auto inatica y reciprocated part; means whereby reciprocatin part controls the opening 50 and closm of t e lower closure while the tiipp'e'r is "c osed; and opens and closes the ilpper closure while the lower is closed.

14 In a gas producer the combination of a feedhop er; a ate closure hinged at its 55 lower en ;'a sli e closure adapted to close the hopper above its lower end; an autoism; stirring mechanism; means for simultaneously operating the stirrin and ash eliminating mechanism; means wiereby the stirring mechanism at predetermined times causes the operation of the feeding mechanism; and means for varyin the relative rate of action of the feed an ash eliminating mechanism.

JOHN BOWEY, JR. Signed in the presence of G. W. STURDEVANT, O. E. BATES. 

